Chinese state newspaper Global Times is being called out on social media after describing R&B singer Halle Bailey as “colored” in a tweet announcing her casting in Disney’s live-action reboot of “The Little Mermaid.”

Bailey, 19, was cast to play the iconic Princess Ariel for possessing “a rare combination of spirit, heart, youth, innocence and substance, plus a glorious singing voice,” according to director Rob Marshall.

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“It’s a rare occasion when a colored actress will be cast as a Disney princess,” Global Times tweeted on Wednesday, sparking fury among netizens.

“Did my 97 year old great aunt write this in 1962?” a Caucasian woman replied.

While Western media largely praised Bailey’s casting, the news met a great deal of backlash in China, where netizens unleashed “a torrent of shock, anger, and disappointment” at Disney for “ruining” their childhood and “disrespecting the original work,” according to Sixth Tone.